Chapter 2-Normative Theories of Ethics

The only accurate statement about consequentalism is:

Consequentialism says that the moral rightness of an action is determined solely by its results

Which of the following is true regarding utilitarian beliefs?

Utilitarians wish to maximize happiness not simply immediately, but in the long run as well

The statement that best defines rights is

a right is an entitlement to act or to have others act in a certain way

A hypothetical imperative tells us to act as we would want everyone to act in that situation.

false

According to Immanuel Kant, moral reasoning is based on observation.

false

Egoists only do what they feel like doing.

false

Ethical egoism says that human beings are, as a matter of fact, so constructed that they must behave selfishly.

false

Immanuel Kant believed that it is only when we act out of empathy for others that our actions have moral worth.

false

Nonconsequentialist theories of ethics never consider the consequences of an action or rule when making a moral judgment.

false

W. D. Ross denied that we have immediate, intuitive knowledge of the basic prima facie obligations.

false

Which of the following is true regarding Immanuel Kant's beliefs?

he believed that reason by itself can reveal the basic principles of morality

Kant believed that we should always act

in a way that we can will the maxim of our action to become a universal law

According to the utilitarian theory, an action is morally right if and only if

it maximizes total, net happiness

Which of the following represents a utilitarian belief?

rightness is determined by what will bring the most good

Consequentialism

states that moral rightness of an action is determined solely by its results

A prima facie obligation is an obligation that can be overridden by a more important obligation.

true

A supererogatory act is an act that would be good to do, but not doing it is not wrong.

true

According to Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, pleasure is the one thing that is intrinsically good or worthwhile.

true

According to W. D. Ross, we have immediate intuitive knowledge of the basic prima facie moral obligations/principles.

true

By "maxim," Immanuel Kant meant the subjective principle of an action, the principle that people in effect formulate in determining their conduct.

true

Jeremy Bentham thought that a community is no more than the individuals who compose it and that the interests of the community are simply the sum of the interests of its members.

true

Normative theories of ethics propose some principle or principles for distinguishing right actions from wrong actions.

true

One feature about utilitarianism that makes it appealing as a standard for moral decisions in business and nonbusiness organizations is that it provides a clear and straightforward basis for formulating and testing policies.

true

The connection between rights and duties is that, generally speaking, if you have a right to do something, then someone else has a correlative duty to act in a certain way.

true

The view that equates morality with self-interest is egoism.

true

When a utilitarian like Jeremy Bentham advocates "the greatest happiness for the greatest number," we must consider unhappiness or pain as well as happiness.

true

Which of the following considerations about utilitarianism is correct?

unlike mill, Bentham was only concerned with the amount of pleasure that an action produces, not the quality of the pleasure

Nonconsequentialists like Ross believe that

utilitarianism doesn't require us to sacrifice as much as we should to help other people

Imagine a shopkeeper who is honest because being honest is good for business. When the shopkeeper refrains from cheating a customer, Kant would say this action

was in accordance with duty, but not done from duty

According to W. D. Ross's theory

we have various moral duties that can't be reduced to a single, overarching obligation

A key idea of Immanuel Kant's ethical theory is that:

we should treat people as ends in themselves, never merely as means

If you adopt ethical egoism as your moral code, then

you believe that it is morally right to do whatever promotes your self-interest